Brassiere



BRASSIERE Filed July 27 rl'l INVENTORS. ALVIN H. KRAKOWEIZ HARVEYSCHOENFELD ATTORNEY.

3,131,696 BRASSIERE Alvin H. Krakower, 767 Glenside Court E., Oradell,N.J., and Harvey Schoenfeld, 34 13th Ave., Paterson, NJ. Filed July 27,1962, Ser. No. 212,796 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-465) This invention relates tobrassieres or bras which support the breasts, and more particularly,concerns a brassiere construction for controlling the movement of thebreast masses adjacent the cups thereof.

While known brassiere constructions provide adequate support for thebreasts, it has been found that the outer or lateral portions of thebreasts are not properly directed in their movement as an incident tothe confining action of the bra cups. This frequently produces greatdiscomfort for the wearer.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improvedbrassiere construction which will cope with the breast masses whichusually overflow the confining cups of the brassiere and which iseffective to direct the same toward the median central line of thebrassiere.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved brassiereconstruction which includes control panels for directing the movementsof the outer lateral breast masses in conjunction with the confiningaction of the bra cups.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improvedbrassiere construction which is effective to relieve the pressure on theouter lateral portions of the breasts normally caused by the peripheraledge portions of the brassiere cups as the same cut into the chest area,and thus insure maximum comfort for the wearer.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, the figure is an elevational view of a brassiereconstruction embodying the invention, with parts broken away.

In accordance with the instant invention, a brassiere is provided with apair of control panels of selected configuration and disposition; suchpanels being operative in conjunction with the cups of the brassiere toeffect a control of the movement of the confined breast masses so as toattain the desired results.

Thus, as shown in the figure, 10 designates a brassiere constructionembodying the invention. The same comprises a pair of horizontallydisposed bottom panels 11, 12 of relatively heavy elastic fabric; theadjacent inner edges thereof being seamed together as at 13. The panels11, 12 have adjacent, convexly curved edge portions 14, 15 which areinterconnected by a triangular insert 16 of fabric having an elasticitygreater than that of panels 11, 12. Panels 11, 12 and insert 16 have acontinuous, common bottom edge 17.

Brassiere 10 is provided with the usual brassiere cups 18, 19 of anydesired construction, and which may include the usual laminations ofinner and outer layers, lace and the like, not shown. The cups 18, 19are secured along their bottom inner edge portions to complementarycurved edge portions 20, 21 of panels 11, 12 respectively, by the usualstitch seams.

A firm wire guide 22 is located along panel edge portions 20, 21; saidwire guide extending from the point 23 corresponding to the verticalmedian line of cup 18 to the point 24 corresponding to the verticalmedian line of cup 19. Wire guide 22 also includes a centrally disposed,short linear portion 25 which integrally connects the curved portions26, 27 thereof and provides for a separation of the confined breastmasses. The wire guide 22 thus provides a contour guide for said breastmasses as they are confined in cups 18, 19.

Brassiere 10 further comprises a pair of lateral bulge United StatesPatent Patented May 5., 1964 control panels 28, 29 of nonelastic fabric.Panels 28, 29 are of generally triangular shape and are arcuatelystitched along substantially parallel curved lines as at 30, with aspacing between such lines of about /8". The panel 28 comprises an innerside edge 31 which is stitched to the outer side edge portion 32 of cup18; a convexly curved bottom edge 33 which is stitched to a top edgeportion 34 of panel 11; and an outer side edge 35 which continues fromthe outer end of top edge 36 of cup 18 to the top edge portion 37 ofpanel 11. Panel 29 has correspondingly similar edge portions which aresimilarly related to cup 19 and bottom panel 12.

The usual shoulder straps 38 are connected at their front ends to themidpoint of the top edge 36 of cups 18, 19 and at their rear ends to apoint somewhat inwardly of the juncture of edge portions 36, 37.Brassiere 10 also includes the usual outer end portions 39, 40 extendingfrom the outer ends of panels 11, 12 for detachable interconnection atthe back of the wearer in a conventional fashion.

The bulge control panels 28, 29 have an extent such that the outer endof edges 35 thereof will be located at a point in line with a verticalline extending to center of the armpits of the wearer. It will beapparent that the said control panels 28, 29 follow the edge contours ofcups 18, 19 and the bottom edges 33 thereof follow the general curvatureof said cups 18, 19.

It has been found that the bulge control panels 28, 29 are highlyeffective in diverting the lateral breast masses in a direction towardthe upper portions of cups 18, 19 and toward the midline of the garment,thus overcoming the unsightly bulge of the breast masses arising fromthe usual confining action of the cups of a conventional brassiereconstruction.

Whereas the conventional cupping of the breasts forces a displaceemnt ofthe normally located lower portions of the breasts laterally well beyondthe anterior axillary line of the body of the wearer; the bulge controlpanels 28, 29 of the instant invention prevent such lateral displacementby forcing that portion of the cupped breast anteriorly and thus givingeffective support to the breast portions concerned. In turn, this causesa direction of the breast masses toward the midline or cleavage of thegarment to provide a more feminine contour while giving essentialsupport to the breast masses.

It has been found, that with the support afforded by the instantbrassiere construction, relief is provided for the discomfort caused byinduced tensions during premenstrual periods when the breasts are moresensitive, particularly in the lateral portions thereof. Similar reliefis provided during pregnancy of the wearer, when the breasts areengorged and require additional support to relieve pain and/ ordiscomfort.

The arrangement of the shoulder straps 38 with the rear ends thereofanchored to the lower ends of the bulge control panels 28, 29; providesfor a shoulder holster effect which allows the wearer to slip into thegarment in a manner akin to that used when putting on a shoulderholster. Also, the rearwardly extending portions of the bottom panels11, 12 may now be narrowed substantially and thus reduce the fabric areawhich is in contact with the back of the wearer.

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed without departing from the spirit thereof, it isunderstood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemedillustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A brassiere construction comprising a pair of laterally relatedbottom panels of elastic fabric, each of said bottom panels includinginner and outer side edges and an upper edge, the inner side edges ofsaid bottom panels being secured together, a pair body encircling endportions extending from the outer side edges of said bottom panels, apair of cup members having lower edge portions thereof respectivelysecured to an inner portion of the upper edge of said bottom panels, anda pair of triangular shaped inelastic control panels respectivelydisposed between the bottom panels and associated cup member, eachcontrol panel having a base portion secured to its associated bottompanel along an outer upper edge portion thereof and a concavely curvedinner side edge portion secured to the outer side edge portion of theassociated cup member and an outer side edge portion thereof forming thetop edge of said brassiere construction and extending from an outer topedge portion of the associated cup member to an outer top edge portionof the associated bottom panel, the side edge portions of each controlpanel forming an apex secured to outer top edge portions of theassociated cup member, whereby the cupped mass of the breasts of thewearer are directed anteriorly toward the midline of said brassiereconstruction.

2. A brassiere construction as in claim 1 and further including shoulderstraps having the front ends thereof secured to the midpoint of the topedges of said cups, the rear ends of said straps being secured to thesaid outer side edge of said control panels respectively at a pointslightly inward of the outer end of said control panel.

3. A brassiere construction as in claim 1 and further including wireguide means comprising a pair of arcuate portions located at thejuncture of the inner bottom edge portions of said cups and the opposedtop edge portions of said bottom panel portion and a short linearportion interconnecting said arcuate portions at the juncture of saidcups.

4. A brassiere construction as in claim 3 wherein the outer ends of saidarcuate wire portions extend to the vertical medial point of said cupsat the bottom edge portions thereof.

5. A brassiere construction as in claim 4 and further including shoulderstraps extending rearwardly from the midpoint of the top edge portionsof said cups to the outer side edge portions of said control panels at apoint located slightly inward of the outer end of said control panel.

6. A brassiere construction as in claim 4 wherein said control panelsinclude closely spaced arcuate lines of stitching extending between theinner and outer edges thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS401,015 Denzel Apr. 9, 1889 2,622,245 Lances Dec. 23, 1952 2,632,167Robbins Mar. 24, 1953

1. A BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A PAIR OF LATERALLY RELATEDBOTTOM PANELS OF ELASTIC FABRIC, EACH OF SAID BOTTOM PANELS INCLUDINGINNER AND OUTER SIDE EDGES AND AN UPPER EDGE, THE INNER SIDE EDGES OFSAID BOTTOM PANELS BEING SECURED TOGETHER, A PAIR BODY ENCIRCULING ENDPORTIONS EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANELS, APAIR OF CUP MEMBERS HAVING LOWER EDGES PORTIONS THEREOF RESPECTIVELYSECURED TO AN INNER PORTION OF THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID BOTTOM PANELS, ANDA PAIR OF TRIANGULAR SHAPED INELASTIC CONTROL PANELS RESPECTIVELYDISPOSED BETWEEN THE BOTTOM PANELS AND ASSOCIATED CUP MEMBER, EACHCONTROL PANEL HAVING THE BASE PORTION SECURED TO ITS ASSOCIATED BOTTOMPANEL ALONG AN OUTER UPPER EDGE PORTION THEREOF AND A CONCAVELY CURVEDINNER SIDE EDGE PORTION SECURED TO THE OUTER SIDE EDGE PORTION OF THEASSOCIATED CUP MEMBER AND AN OUTER SIDE EDGE PORTION THEREOF FORMING THETOP EDGE OF SAID BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION AND EXTENDING FROM AN OUTER TOPEDGE PORTION OF THE ASSOCIATED CUP MEMBER TO AN OUTER TOP EDGE PORTIONOF THE ASSOCAITED BOTTOM PANEL, THE SIDE EDGE PORTIONS OF EACH CONTROLPANEL FORMING AN APEX SECURED TO OUTER TOP EDGE PORTIONS OF THEASSOCIATED CUP MEMBER, WHEREBY THE CUPPED MASS OF THE BREASTS OF THEWEARER ARE DIRECTED ANTERIORLY TOWARD THE MIDLINE OF SAID BRASSIERECONSTRUCTION.